For 75 years a missing persons case in NYC has remained unsolved. One evening in August of 1930 Joe Crater, a successful Supreme Court Judge for New York, waved goodbye to some friends after dinner at a restaurant, got in a taxi, and disappeared. Nothing in his past or present could explain his strange disappearance except possibly a note he left with a check for his wife. The note simply said, “I am very weary, love Joe”

Was that note an indication of his plans? Was it simply an expression of his feeling tired? Was it a note from a despairing man? We’ll never know.

What I do know is the weariness is draining. I’m not talking about being weary after a long day of work. I am talking about emotional weariness. That feeling that everything is coming down on you. You feel like all you are doing is swimming upstream in life and not getting anywhere. I would wager that most of us have felt that way at some time or another.

In our text Jesus offers a tremendous gift. I’ll take your heavy burden if you take my light one.

PRAYER

I. The Burden of WearinessA. Understanding weariness1. Many of us understand the difference between weariness and tiredness.a) Being tired can be both a good or bad thing.b) Constant tiredness isn’t healthy. It’s usually an indication of other things happening to your body or mind.c) Being tired after a hard day’s work is normal.d) It’s good to exert our bodies and minds. In fact it is refreshing to push them from time to time.2. Weariness is a little different.a) It involves being tired, but for a very different reason.b) Weariness comes from despairing, being discouraged, or hopelessness.3. This summer I was weary. I felt like nothing I was doing was accomplishing anything. I felt alone, frustrated, tired and emotionally drained. I wanted to escape.B. No one likes to be weary. Escape from it is a normal desire.1. Some try to spend their way out of weariness.2. Some try drugs and drinking to escape.3. Some try vacations and other diversions.4. Some look for help from doctors, counselors or God.5. I have found that the last option is best for me 6. I also found that God has a way of removing my weariness and giving a sense of his purpose at the same time.II. Exchanging our BurdensA. Rest1. Sleeping is a normal reaction to weariness.2. Sleeping too much is a sign of depression that comes with being weary.3. When you are weary, you long for rest.B. When Jesus offered rest that had to grab people’s attention.1. You can offer me rest? Real rest?2. I can escape from this crushing burden that is weighing me down?3. How? What do I have to do? How much do I have to pay?4. (Pause) What’s the catch?C. Heavy load for a light load1. I started watching the Amazing Race this year. It is with families of four racing to that final finish line. All the families have at least one person so is physically weaker than the others.